News from the A.T.

Gotta love that A.T.

A program on the importance of the Appalachian Trail and ways to promote and conserve it will be held at noon on Thursday, April 11, at Tartan Hall in Franklin.

Local trail activists from the Nantahala Hiking Club and Appalachian Trail Conservancy will discuss a variety of topics such as the trail’s history and management, the mutually beneficial relationship between the trail and the town of Franklin, and ways to enhance use of the trail.

Also, Mary Bennett, local A.T. Community Ambassador, will highlight the opportunities the A.T. provides for environmental education and to Macon County schools, and other local activities around the trail.

The program is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Macon County and will focus on Franklin as an Appalachian Trail Community, an official designation the town has carried since 2010. The program corresponds with the Macon County Public Library’s Walking with Spring series and follows Franklin’s April Fools’ Days Trail Festival.

AT education program for teachers

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is currently accepting applications from educators to participate in the Trail To Every Classroom program, connecting students and trailside communities along the Appalachian Trail’s 14-state route.

The program, in partnership with the National Park Service, trains K-12 teachers to use the Appalachian Trail as an educational resource. Divided into a series of three workshops, the program teaches the fundamentals of hiking, environmental stewardship and ethics, GPS technology, grant writing, and provides an opportunity for backpacking, networking and curriculum writing specific.

An optional three graduate credits are offered for $637 through Mary Baldwin College. To date this program has trained over 275 teachers from Georgia to Maine.